Page 56 of Asphyxia
“That’s not—”
“It’s true, and it’s not a bad thing. You just need to grow the hell up, and I’m about to give you an opportunity to do that right now.”
The seriousness of his tone caught me off guard and had me scratching my head in curiosity and confusion.
I had only briefly worked with him while Anathema was the common thread, vague being the keyword here. So I couldn’t figure out why he was so willing to give me a responsibility that should’ve belonged to someone who worked much closer to him, with an established and trustworthy relationship. Someone like Dennison.
“I’m listening…”
Maybe he was right; this would be my chance to participate in something more significant than the CIA alone.
“Without disclosing too many confidential details, I’m needed elsewhere, and I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.” Drake’s voice softened with a sigh as if the reason for his leave had hit its mark closer to home.
He chewed on his bottom lip, contemplation creasing his brows.
“Well, that’s as generalized as you could get. Where are you going?”
“Nevada.”
One word, and with his hesitation, I knew he wouldn’t disclose anything more.
“And what exactly do you need from me?”
“I need you to be my eyes and ears for A6. Keep the team in order while I’m away. I’ll be in frequent contact with you if anything goes awry—”
“And how the fuck am I expected to do that while working for the CIA?”
So this was his big plan? His huge ask? Make me the babysitter for Alpha-Six while he fucked off to Nevada? Un-fucking-believable. Seriously.
“You’ll manage, I’m sure. Why don’t you ask your CIA buddies for help? They seem pretty open to bending the rules whenever it suits their needs.” Referring to Derek, Atlas, and Dean, no doubt.
“And if I refuse?”
“You won’t. Because you know as well as I do that you want adrenaline-inducing excitement—I’m offering you that long-term. You do this for me, and you’ll be welcome as an official member of Alpha-Six. You’ll no longer have to sit behind a screen and watch Dennison do what you’ve always dreamed of doing. Instead, you’ll be right there, in the action.”
By his tone, I could discern that he was being sincere with his offer, although I couldn’t help but feel like there was something he wasn’t telling me. A catch I was missing; fine print that would give him a loophole, telling me tofuck offonce he got back from taking care of whatever the fuck was so important.
“Again, the CIA—”
“The CIA works with multiple government entities to perform their daily tasks. You don’t have to change anything except your attitude to do this. You can let me know your decision within the week. After that, I leave for Nevada, and the offer is off the table.” Drake pushed off the wall, turning to reach for the door handle. “And just for good measure. I’ll even sweeten the deal byoffering you a favor in return. One I know you wouldn’t dare say no to—for Madison’s sake.”
What could he possibly have to offer Madison?
…
Oh fuck.
Chapter 26
Dean
“Ialwayswonderedwhenthe CIA would finally notice and appreciate the beauty in my work.” Colton entered our apartment, removing his black, chrome band aviators and shooting Marcus and me a wolfish grin.
His attitude and appearance were intimidating; dressed in acid-washed denim jeans, a white T-shirt, and a deep red leather biker jacket.
Colton was the clear-cut image of an overly attractive, arrogant, and cocky individual—at least, that was my first impression of him as he swaggered over toward Amber’s body.
His head tilted in fascination as he inspected every inch of her cold and lifeless corpse.
